Lantern sharks are small shark species that can be seen at depths between 70 and 2000 meters. Due to their
luminescent characteristics, they have been called “Lantern shark”. In total eleven specimens of the velvet belly
lantern shark, Etmopterus spinax (Linnaeus, 1758), were caught in the deep seas of Northern Cyprus by using a
bottom trawl. Sampling was carried out using 13 trawling operations. The collected samples were placed in 4%
formalin and stored at the Museum of the Systematic, Faculty of Fisheries, Mersin University, (catalogue number:
MEUFC-18-11-082). As a sampling area, the depths between 274 and 641 m were selected. Other cartilaginous
fish caught during sampling except E. spinax were Galeus melastomus (1 individual), Squalus acanthias (4
individuals), Scyliorhinus canicula (85 individuals). E. spinax made up 10.89% of all cartilaginous fishes which
were caught. Species identification for all fishes caught is made with the help of morphological features.